DEATH FROM-PHOSPHORUS POISONING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11686, 20 March 1900, Page 2

DEATH FROM-PHOSPHORUS POISONING.

An inquest was held before.Mr C. C. Graham, S.M., and a. jury of six at Roslyn yesterday afternoon, touching the death of. Janet Millar, wife of George Millar, who died at half-past 8 yesterday morning under cir'cuni-' stances which pointed to the conclusion that deceased had taken her life by eating match, heads. ■ ;

• George Slillar, husband of deceased, gave evidence that deceased underwent an operation for hernia four: weeks ago, and had been confined to bed qver since. Since the operation she exhibited symptoms of her mind being affected. The expense of the operation., seemed to prey on her.mind very much,'although witness assured, her there was no reason' for anxiety on that point. .'■■■ '. . '■.'.'.'. Elizabeth Marshall, niece of.: Mr V Millar stated- that she had been attending deceased for three weeks. .> She had never'been herself since the operation. . Her, mind at times seemed affected. She. talked at various times of the expense of the same,, and ehe said she'-1 wished she had not gone in for it.., She was: always harping on the operation and the.expense of it. On-Friday.she was in very low' spirits, as she was also on the previous'day. ' bhe- would not take,-her food, and commenced!' retching at .night. She was ill all night.'and she complained; that she had the same pain two or three times .while.-the other nurse was' there,, and on witness asking her why she did not mention it, she said she did nof wantto make a fuss- of it. Witness found a-box : of, matches m her, bed, and the matches had, their.heads off.. She gradually sank, and died ' that morning at half-past:'B,. Dr Burns being--with her at the time. , ....,■; ■■ ■-.-

Dr Batchelor: gave evidence that he Hvas called early in February to see the, patient by Dr Burns She,was suffering from an internal complaint that was endangering her. life and" a constant source v .'pf discomfort.'' An. operation was decided upon, and performed on ' February 20. She was making, a satisfacfei-y recovery, but the nature of the operation necessitated her ]yin e in lied some six w-eks \\ it-ness judged her from the first to be rather. a peculiar woman, and the enforced '-rest seemed to prey on her mind. She seemed to him very unusually and very unnecessarily depressed. He called in now and again, more to encourage her than anything else • as the ease^was almost entirely in the nurse's hands. On March 16 he called, as there was a'chance • of nurses, one of the nurses having to go away.. The patient seemed very depressed and weaker than usual, but beyond that there was n°tW -unusual. On Saturday 'her'; hii^ '. .•Band "nfl^tam up.-and-toW'him 'thaf-she was ••; ■..vomiting," fifing him for sometliiutt: for it. ' Witness sanVhe could not account foiit, and he won d.call and wter in the after^ndonT,: About 10 mmutes "after he rang witness up again, s.atmg that she had taken "something; andwouldhe call and see her. ' He went -"up ■ again,, and found her..: almost" pulseless and ' ma state of collapse.;' He was told she had .fiaten the ■leads of - a number of matcheshe believed 150 had been cciuntcd. "Witness washed out the stomach, but the. poison had evidently, been taken some time. Witness ordered the; usual remedies for phosphorus poisoning, and as the patient was really Dr Jiurnsjs lie communicated 'with him. Witness looker! upon the case as inevitably fatal,.:.' The cause of death was; phosphorus poisoning.. In' washing out the stomach there was the tisual. odour of phosphorus. It. was a severe operanqn, and as she was a peculiar womaii previously it was possible her mind became un- : lunged from, the shock of the operation , A verdict was.returned V-That deceased died from the effects of poisoning by phosphorus paused by her eatmsr tiie heads of wax .matches when in », state of temporary insanity, "the,' effects of a senous, owration performed on uer four weeks previously." . '